In this ChatEDU Check-In: Typewriters as an Anti-AI Tool, Liz explores how a Cornell University instructor is using 19th-century technology to ensure authentic student authorship. By removing screens and internet connectivity, the classroom shifts from digital convenience to a manual process where every character must be intentionally struck. This analog approach prevents the use of generative AI and online translation tools that often bypass the struggle of learning.

Key Takeaways:

Using manual typewriters creates a cognitive shift by forcing a slower pace of writing, requiring students to think deeply before committing ink to paper.

The absence of a delete key or digital cursor ends the habit of delegating problem-solving to search engines or AI models, returning the work to the student.

Replacing laptops with mechanical hardware changes the social dynamic, encouraging students to collaborate with peers and embrace the messy reality of the learning process.

Liz’s Two Cents: This episode highlights a fascinating, albeit extreme, strategic pivot toward "embodied" learning as a response to AI. While high-tech problems often seek high-tech solutions, the use of typewriters serves as a reminder that friction in the writing process is often where the actual learning happens. For district leaders, the takeaway isn't necessarily to buy vintage hardware, but to recognize that intentionally slowing down the creative process can be a powerful way to reclaim student agency and authentic assessment in a digital world.

Article:

https://www.ksat.com/tech/2026/03/31/a-college-instructor-turns-to-typewriters-to-curb-ai-written-work-and-teach-life-lessons/

Sponsored by:

Eduaide: Where good ideas become great lessons. Eduaide is an AI-powered, research-based K-12 tool that creates high-quality resources, games, and graphic organizers built for better student outcomes. Take advantage of our special offer: 50 percent off an Eduaide subscription with code: ChatEDU at⁠ https://www.eduaide.ai/⁠.

In this ChatEDU Check-In: The AI Cheating Panic is Loud, Student Use is Quiet, Liz explores the reality of how students interact with AI compared to common cheating narratives. Research involving interviews with over 50 students reveals that most AI use is functional and supplemental rather than fraudulent. The episode highlights a significant gap between institutional fears and actual student habits.

Key Takeaways

Student AI use is often boring and organizational, focusing on unpacking assignment instructions and clarifying lecture points.

Students treat Chat GPT as a 24, 7 on-demand tutor that provides a patient, non-judgmental resource for office hours at any time.

A psychological disconnect exists where students view their own use as responsible while assuming their peers are using it to cheat.

Liz's Two Cents: This episode highlights a strategic need for district leaders to shift the conversation from policing fraud to supporting supplemental learning. If the loud narrative of cheating dominates, schools risk missing the opportunity to integrate AI as a legitimate tool for organization and study support. Leaders should address the perception gap among students to foster a culture where responsible use is the visible norm rather than a hidden practice.

Article

https://edunewsletter.openai.com/p/the-ai-cheating-panic-is-loud-the

Sponsored by:

Eduaide: Where good ideas become great lessons. Eduaide is an AI-powered, research-based K-12 tool that creates high-quality resources, games, and graphic organizers built for better student outcomes. Take advantage of our special offer: 50 percent off an Eduaide subscription with code: ChatEDU at⁠ https://www.eduaide.ai/⁠.